Joseph hut c h in s on



(No Model.)

J. HUTO HINSON. SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURES.

UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH HUTCHINSON, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

S WITCH FOR ELECTRIC-LIGHT FIXTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,868, dated March21, 1893. Application filed April 8, 1892. Serial No. 428,283. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSEPH HUTOHINSON, a citizen of the United States,residing in New York city, county and State of New York, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Switches for Electric-LightFixtures, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved arrangement of switches formaking and breaking circuits extending through tubular chandelier orbracket arms in electric light fixtures.

The main object is to provide a simple and practical way of applyingswitches to ordidinary tubular arms, and the invention consists in thecombination with such a tubular arm of a switch secured directly to theoutside thereof, that is, without havinga special section formed for thereception of the switch, andconnected to a wire extending through thetube or tubular arm but led out through a suitable opening to theswitch; and the invention consists also in the several combinationshereinafter more fully described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the improvement, Figure 1 isa side view, partly in section, of a bracket or fixture arm with theswitch applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view on line a2-m of Fig. 1, a partof the lower member of the switch being removed. Fig. 3 is a plan viewof the lower or movable member of the switch. Fig. 1 is View of a blankfrom which one part of the device is formed; and Fig. 5 illustrates aslight modification.

1 is a tube or hollow arm, such as a wallbracket or an arm of achandelier, carrying at its outer end an electric lamp 2 and containingelectrical conductors 3, 51, leading to the lamp. The former conductoris interrupted or broken, and the adjacent ends of the wire are carriedout of the tube through the opening 5. The wire 4 is preferablycontinuous to the lamp, as shown.

6 (Fig. 4) is a sheet metal strap or blank which is adapted to be bentaround the tube, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The arms 7 of this strap arebent around an insulating plate or block 8, at one side of the tube thestrap being secured to said block by one or more screws 9, the strapthus serving to cover the opening 5 and to support said block, which, inturn,

carries preferably two switch terminals or contact studs 10, to whichthe two adjacent ends of the broken wire 3 are connected. These studshave rounded, projecting ends on the lower side of the block 8. Thespring or arm 11, having depressionsor notches l2, and which is carriedby the insulating block 13, is adapted to be broughtinto or out ofcontact with said projecting ends. The switch arm 11 is firmly securedto the insulating block 13 by means of a screw, or screws, 14. Saidblock is held between two sheet metal sections 15, 16, forming a coverfor the contacts. These sections are formed as shown, and are clampedagainst the insulating block 13 by the screw 17. The sections areprovided at their upper ends with an inwardly extending bead or flange18, which rests upon an outwardly extending flange 19 at the lower endof the strap 6 formed by bending the blank 6 on the lines 19. Instead ofhaving an outwardly extending flange or bead, the strap may be formedwith a depression or groove, with which the parts 15, 16 engage, asindicated in Fig. 5. Evidently other means for connecting the two partsof the switch may be employed. By making the cover in two parts asdescribed, it can be readily clamped in place, and itwill be clear thatwhen so clamped this movable member of the switch is adapted to beturned by the handle 20.

While the switch may be used when constructed as already described, itis preferable to provide a spring for opening the circuit by means of asnap movement. Such a spring is shown at 21, the upper end of the springbeing connected to the upper or stationary member of the switch, whilethe lower end, bent at right-angles, occupies a position in the handlebelow block 13. The spring is so coiled that when the switch is turnedto close the circuit additional tension will be given to it, but thetension will not be sufficient to move the switch spring or arm to breakthe circuit when the depressions 12 rest over the ends of the contactstuds. When, however, the switch is partially turned to break thecircuit, the force of the spring will be sulficient to throw it suddenlyforward, the grasp of the fingers allowing this sudden, forwardmovement.

By my improvement I make it possible to.

support a switch directly on an ordinary tubular bracket or fixture arm,all that is necessary to do being to make an opening in a side of thetube, avoiding the necessity of casting or otherwise forming sections ofspecial design to receive or support the fixture switch. The opening inthe tubular arm can be much smaller than would be required if the switchextended into it in the manner heretofore practiced. By placing theswitch on the tubular arm, the lamp socket may be a simple one without aswitch, and the switch is in a position where it will not be interferedwith by the lamp shade, if one be used.

It will be evident that the form of the strap, and of some of the otherparts of the switch, can be varied considerably, and other means forsecuring the switch to the tube can be used without departing from myinvention.

What I claim is The combination of a tubular fixture arm adapted tosupport an electric lamp or device and to contain electric conductorsand having a hole through which conductors in the tube may pass to theoutside thereof, an insulating body wholly exterior to such tubular armbut secured to it adjacent to the hole therein, terminals to which theWires leading from the tubular arm may be connected, and a movableswitch device for connecting the same, carried by said insulating body,substantially as described.

2. The combination of a tube, such as a bracket or chandelier arm, abody secured thereto wholly on the outside and carrying switch terminalsor contacts, a switch device for making and breaking connection betweenthem, and means for inclosing said contacts, and the tube where theswitch is connected substantially as described.

3. The combination of a tube, such as a bracket or chandelier arm,having an opening in one side thereof, an interrupted circuit wire inthe tube, the wire ends at the point where the wire is broken passingthrough the opening, a switch secured to the tube and comprising a strapsurrounding the tube, an insulating plate or block supported by thestrap, contacts carried thereby to which the circuit wire is connected,and a movable switch member for making and breaking the circuit,substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a switch, of a strap having beads or flanges atits ends, an insulating plate or block carried by said strap, contactscarried thereby, and a movable switch member engaging said beads orflanges and adapted to turn thereon, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a switch, of a strap having beads or flanges atits ends, an insulating plate or block carried by said. strap, contactscarried thereby, a movable switch member engaging said beads or flangesand adapted to turn thereon, and a spring connecting said parts and somounted as to be given increased tension when the switch is moved toclose the circuit, substantially as described.

6. The combination, in a switch, of two switch members having suitablecontacts, one member being fixed and one being movable, one member beingprovided with a flange or similar device, the other member engaging thesame, the movable member being in two sections, and means for securingsaid sections together, whereby the movable member can be clamped ontothe other member, substantially as described.

7. The combination of two switch members having suitable contacts andsecured to each other by means of engaging flanges or similar devices,one member comprising an insulating block carrying the switch contactspring or arm, two sheet metal or similar sections forming a cover, andmeans for securing said sections and block together, substantially asdescribed.

8. The combination of a strap 6, the insulating block 8 carried therebyand having contacts, the movable switch member comprising sections 15,16, block 13 and springorarm 11, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 1st day of April, 1892.

JOSEPH HUTCI-IINSON. Witnesses:

CHARLES M. CATLIN, GEORGE S. BIXBY.

